There is a fine line between ambitious and reckless
by Emotional support hufflepuff
Summary: We weren't always the villains, my dear.


Everyone always thought Lucius Malfoy had a bad knee from his time as fighting as a Death Eater. While he certainly Apperated home with his fair share of cuts and bruises and a broken bone or two, seeking the quiet healing from Narcissa, she knew his knee had been bad since his school days, and more specifically the day he proposed.

Narcissa Black sat on the chilly wooden bench, holding her wand up next her head and using a shield spell as an umbrella to keep the rain off. She wrapped Slytherin scarf around her face a little bit more trying to hide her nose which was puffy from crying, but made a face when she realized she could still smell _him _on it. She ripped it off and bundled it in her lap.

She was not going to let _him_ get to her.

The crowd of students screamed with excitement as the players took to the field. It was the last match of year, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, and the winner would take the House cup. Jeering and catcalling filled the air on her side as the Gryffindor team sped by in formation, showing off. People were stomping and screaming, not even caring they were getting wet. The tone of the cheering change to positive enthusiasm as the Slytherin Team flew over them.

Captain and Seeker Lucius Malfoy smiled arrogantly at his cheering admirers and classmates. Everyone seemed to like him, even in the other houses because he was so charming and personable. Certainly all the girls liked him because he had a strong jaw, piercing eyes and long silver blond hair but she knew better than to fall for that. This was his last game before graduation and Narcissa couldn't wait to be rid of him and finally have a whole year at school to herself. Lucius doubled back to catch her eye but she rolled her eyes, gave a thumbs down and blew a raspberry his direction, making sure he saw her do it. Her mother would have been appalled but Narcissa couldn't care at this moment. Posy Parkinson, another seventh year, stood on the bench and melodramatically blew a kiss at him. He pretended to catch it and put it over his heart, and the girls squealed like idiots. She kept her eyes firmly fixed on her shoes as his teammates called him away to stop showing off.

The match had started, and the players were off. Gryffindor had a new Seeker who was only a second year but was very good. She still wasn't quite a match for Lucius who had years, height and an extreme lack of regard for the danger he put himself in. The game was just a few minutes old when it became obvious both seekers had already seen the snitch, even as the rain poured downward and the wind blew vigorously, both seekers pushed to climb higher. They could see it glinting stationary above a goal post, taunting them. The Gryffindor's broom was struggling against the wind and Malfoy had just a split second head start toward it. He pulled his broom vertical from below, extended his full height balancing precariously, wrapped his hand around the snitch and began to fall.

Narcissa stood and gasped with the rest of the crowd. He was a blurry mix of green jersey and silver hair, falling from the sky on the other side of the pitch, and struggling to regain himself with one hand. _Let go of the stupid ball Lucius, let go, use both hands this is not worth dying over_. But he refused, and coming back to the earth in the middle of the pitch he managed at the last second to slide to ground, one knee making contact with the earth first, suddenly halting his momentum and sending his broom crashing through the stadium as the rest of him landed in a heap. Silence fell for a heartbeat; then Lucius held up his fist with the snitch in it and the crowd erupted; Narcissa's face was wet with tears. She let the other students rush the field to congratulate the other players and to congratulate Lucius on ending school on such a high note. If she waited til they passed it would be easier to slip away unnoticed into the library or some place to read.

Picking her way carefully across the soggy field, trying not to get her robes or shoes messy, she wished she had another friend who didn't think the earth rose and fell with stupid sporting events, but she was often isolated on these days, preferring quiet conversation and indoor things. Her mother wouldn't even let her ride a broom like the other girls; it was not ladylike to let your legs hang apart like that. She rode with her legs tucked to the side which limited how fast you could go. A familiar shape was waiting up at the castle watching her.

"What do you want Malfoy?!" she snapped.

"Did you get my note?" he called over the wind. He was muddy and bruised and his hair clung to his face.

"Yes. Did you get my response?"

"Yes-"

"I didn't know you could read, Malfoy! What a pleasant surprise! Maybe you _can_ be useful off a broom- that is if you can manage to stay off a Parkinson, too!" she shrieked at him.

"It wasn't like that 'Cissa! I thought.. that…"

Narcissa squared herself up to him but her tiny, slender frame only brought her so far up his broad chest. But she stuck her chin up anyway and he had the nerve to smile at her. "You thought that I would want to see you snogging Parkinson in that empty classroom?! After we spent all summer together?! After our parents met and decided this was a good betrothal and we were free to proceed?! Then you spent all year on this godforsaken broom trying to get yourself killed?!"

"I thought it was over 'Cissa! I thought you had moved on, you were always so upset with me!"

"It makes me mad when you get yourself injured! When you show off for attention and you could get hurt! Your so ….so…"

"Ambitious?"

"Reckless! Like when you and Nott went into the Forbidden Forest looking for Acromantula! Or when Goyle bribed you to try and wrestle the giant squid. Who does that, Lucius, I swear to Merlin- why are you smiling?!"

"You let your shield charm down and now you're wet. You look cute like this." He stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry, Narcissa, really I am." He snapped."Please look me in the eyes when I say I'm sorry! "

He softened again "I love you."

She met his pale grey eyes with her dark grey ones. He was being sincere and Narissa couldn't find it in herself to turn him down. She looked at her shoes again, trying to ignore how wonderful he looked like this; it wasn't proper to fawn over a man. Her sister had already been disowned for impropriety and she didn't want to be next.

"What's wrong 'Cissa?"

" I want to kiss you, but I can't just go around kissing random boys it's not right." she admitted to ground below her.

He thought for a moment and said "Can you kiss your fiancé?"

"I don't have a… _what are you doing…_?"

Lucius was carefully getting to one knee, winching in incredible pain. "I don't have a ring, I'll do it the right way later." He took her hands in his. "Narcissa Black, when you're done with school and your heart is ready, will you marry me?"

Her heart exploded with joy in her chest. "Do you promise to stop doing things to get yourself hurt?" she asked, guardedly. He nodded and kissed her hand. "Somehow I don't believe you, but yes, Lucius, I will marry you." She bent down to kiss smiling and let her hand caress his face. Her soul felt flooded with lightness and warmth.

"Narcissa, I love you with every corner of my being. I have since the time I first saw you."

She wiped tears from her face. "I can't imagine loving anyone more than I love you."

"'Cissa?"

"Yes?"

"I can't get up, I think I tore a muscle. Can you go get the nurse please?"

Laughing with joy she ran through the castle to the nurse.

She was quite right- It turned out not to be true. He continued to do things to get himself in danger (plus some) and she did meet someone whom she loved even more a few years after being married. But from that moment, they were together, as if predestined in the stars for a thousand years.

_We weren't always the villains my dear_


End file.
